FOR THE RECORD: Stephen Harper: ‘Our best days lie ahead’

Colleagues, it’s good to see all of you. I know you’ve all been busy over the summer as have I.

Well, I hope you got some downtime with your families. I know we’ve all stayed focused on the economy. Canada continues to do well relative to most other advanced economies.

I have to say that again. Since July 2009, the Canadian economy has created nearly 600,000 net new jobs.

But, unfortunately, as we have been reminded this summer, the global economy remains very fragile. This is a fact to which I have made repeated reference and which has informed our decisions all along. And so as Parliament resumes this fall, our government will continue taking action to protect the financial security of hardworking Canadians and to help create jobs now and for the years to come.

Friends, in managing the economy, circumstances demand that we listen carefully to Canadians and that we be flexible when necessary at the same time. As we have always done, we will work prudently and responsibly, acting on the clear and strong mandate we received from Canadians.

As provided for in the budget, the next phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan will continue helping seniors, students, new Canadians, older workers and businesses trying to avoid layoffs. We will continue helping job creators through a hiring credit for small businesses and a tax incentive for manufacturers, among other measures, to encourage employment now.

As you know, we will also follow through on our plan to eliminate the deficit, to protect Canada’s strong fiscal position and help ensure long-term economic growth.

To that end, we will keep working hard to open new markets for Canadian products, attract investment to Canada and create jobs for Canadians. We will take action with the Obama administration to keep our access to the American market as open as possible and as secure as possible. And we will continue to increase and diversify our trade access the world over to create jobs and opportunities here in Canada for our children and grandchildren. And of course, while remaining focused on the economy, we will take other action on other key priorities as outlined in our platform.

We will work hard. We will do what we promised. And we will continue to earn the trust of Canadians. And if we are faithful to these things, I believe our government’s best days and, above all, our country’s best days still lie ahead.